Male chauvinism is not the same as misogyny, though both are forms of sexism. In misogyny, the afflicted person feels explicit hatred or hostility towards women. A male chauvinist, on the other hand, may feel no ill will towards women; he may merely thoughtlessly ignore the needs or interests of women in his life while pursuing his esteemed "masculine" activities.

Whereas both men and women can be misogynists (or misandrists), only a man can be a male chauvinist: Chauvinism refers to excessive pride in some group to which one belongs; it originally referred to a mindless species of patriotism which we might now call jingoism.